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Create a 2d, subset file of an existing file.

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fj58

06 Dec, 2024 07:40 PM

W10 / MD 2024.2 (5130)

I started using MD in 2009 and have used it exclusively since. Over the years I have removed/added many accounts, made wide-range changes in Categories, and created a number of budgets.

It is time to clean-up.

Is there any facility to created a new MD file that has all transactions / categories / accounts / budgets / memorized graphs and reports, / etc. of my current file, but starts on a date I specify (instead of my current 4/2009)?

Alternatively, is there a way to create a backup with a date range (in order to restore from backup under a new filename)?

Alternatively(2), is there any harm if I create a backup of my current file, restore from backup under a new filename, and delete all transactions/categories/accounts before X-date?

The tricky part here is I will need to have concurrent access to both the "old" and "new" file (I would disable auto-downloads on the "old" file).

Thank in advance

1. 1 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 06 Dec, 2024 08:20 PM

   

   Toolbox extension can create a clone of your dataset with all the structure in tact, but with no transactional data...

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2. 2 Posted by fj58 on 06 Dec, 2024 11:04 PM

   

   @Stuart Beesley

   Perfect.

   Thank you kindly!

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3. Support Staff 3 Posted by Ethan on 07 Dec, 2024 01:09 AM

   

   You can definitely do what you ask, and the method Stuart mentioned is one of the easiest. The main issue you may encounter with this is no longer being able to run accurate long-term reports, since these are always generated based on the data in the data file. Investment accounts in particular may be an issue, as the transaction history is needed to calculate the cost basis at any point. Outside of those, you wouldn't be able to have accurate report data beyond the date you choose for the cutoff, but it's probably fairly rare or people to want to run a report that uses data from that far back. To do that, you'd have to open your older data file, and potentially run the report in both files if you wanted to compare data over many years.

   If I may ask, is there a problem with the program that's making you feel the need to do some kind of cleanup? There are a variety of functions that can hide older data from the active view, such as using the filters at the top of your registers, the date ranges in reports, marking old accounts or categories as inactive, etc. This allows you to access the data if you need to, but they're otherwise not 'in the way' of your more active data.

   Ethan
   Infinite Kind Support

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4. 4 Posted by fj58 on 09 Dec, 2024 08:53 PM

   

   @Ethan

   Thank you for your response.

   First, I have experienced *no* problems with the program; nothing that makes me feel as if I need clean-up. Apart from the typical, every-so-often [expected] hiccups, the software is robust, handles my needs, and shows no sign of performance degradation with approaching 100k transactions. Bravo.

   For 2025 I have developed a different model of categorization (and therefore reporting and budgeting). Starting with a file that contains all account data and categories, but has no transactions allows me to implement the new schema with no impact on the old. Cloning for me is the solution.

   (Now if there is some means to prune and graph categories let me know)

   Thanks for your help

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